Hundreds of years in the making, the water in this tiny Alabama town is a marvel

Walking into a massive barn about 50 miles north of Birmingham, the sight was nothing short of mind-blowing. Before me sat a geological wonder: the Great Blue Spring of Blount County, Alabama. Calm, cool, and collected, this spring isn't just a local treasure; it is a global marvel producing some of the purest water on the planet.

A Hidden Alabama Treasure

For Cameron Cardwell, the hour-long commute from Mountain Brook to Blountsville is more than just a drive; it is a time to map out the future of Blue Spring Living Water. As the company founder and CEO, Cardwell oversees a 12-member team, including his wife and VP of sales and marketing, Elizabeth Cardwell, who are dedicated to sharing this spring-to-bottle story with the world. As Elizabeth puts it, they are "swimming upstream with our story of transparency" to highlight some of the cleanest water imaginable.

Centuries of History

The Great Blue Spring carries a storied past. Local lore suggests the site was discovered by Davy Crockett and President Andrew Jackson during a 19th-century hunting expedition along the Black Warrior Trail. However, the water itself is far older. According to Cardwell, the liquid has been filtering through limestone bedrock and dolomite for hundreds of years, emerging at a steady 52 degrees with a perfectly balanced pH and a natural infusion of silica, calcium, and magnesium.

From Pasture to Premium

The site has evolved significantly over the last century, moving from a family-run pasture used for baptisms and reunions to a sophisticated production facility. In 2004, entrepreneur Ottis Shedd founded the Blue Spring Water Company, eventually teaming up with Cardwell in 2017. Their partnership—cemented by a 90-year lease—led to a premium branding strategy that has seen the product expand across Alabama, landing in retailers like Publix, Piggly Wiggly, Winn-Dixie, Food City, and Rouses Markets.

Competing on the World Stage

In the crowded bottled water industry, Blue Spring Living Water is standing tall against global heavyweights. The company’s dedication to quality—utilizing minimal filtration and ozone sterilization—has earned them serious accolades. At the prestigious Fine Water Society’s annual Taste Awards, Blue Spring took home a bronze medal in 2025. This year, the excitement continued as their sparkling water secured a silver medal out of more than 1,000 international entries.

With a growing range of products, including high-oxygen "Pneuma" water and sparkling varieties, the team is looking toward further expansion. Whether delivering directly to homes or filling shelves in local markets, the Cardwells have transformed a quiet Blountsville spring into a world-class contender, proving that some of the best hydration on earth is tucked away right here in Alabama.